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Internet Predators
About Internet Predators

What is it?

Internet predators are adults who spend time in
internet chatrooms, blogs, myspace, instant
messenger or other forums that are meant for
children and teenagers.   Their purpose is to find
and contact vulnerable children for illicit purposes,
including sex and kidnapping.

These predators will attempt to get personal
information from the child or teenager, such as
name, age, address or phone number and may
attempt to arrange a meeting.  

There are many techniques that predators use.  
They may try to become your child's friend, they
may become the confidant in a lonely or troubled
child's life.  They may try to impress young
adolescents with sexual talk.


Suggested Steps

1.  The first step is to do your homework.  The most
difficult part of this problem is that most kids know
more about the internet than their parents.  
Parents may not know what it going on with their
children.

Some facts:

    - 20% of parents do not monitor their
    children's activity on the internet at all

    - 62% of teens report that their parents
    know little or nothing about the internet.

    - 72% of all internet-related missing children
    are over the age of 15.  Most parents stop
    supervising their children's internet use after
    the age of 14.  

2.  Set some rules for internet use in your home.  
For Example:
          -- Make sure that your child or teenager
    knows that they should never give out
    personal information to anyone online.

           -- Make sure that your child knows that
    you have the right to check on their
    computer to monitor their activity.

           --  Set rules as to which sites your child
    can visit and which ones they cannot.

           --  Go on line to check who they are
    instant messaging and who are on their
    buddy lists.  Get some third party software to
    do this if necessary.

     -- If you can, get software that allows you to
become the system administrator and learn how to
use this.  Most computer stores, like Best Buy and
CompUSA have service departments that can help
you with this.  Might cost a bit, but is worth it.

3.  Most importantly, talk to your child or teenager
about the dangers on the internet and how to be
safe.  Teach them to not use screen names that
might reveal personal information.   Make sure that
they know to discuss with you anyone who
appears strange or unusual.   
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